Belarus

 Minsk   BELARUS. 

  A surprise card from a friend in Belarus.!  Thank you Alena for this  nice card ..that is a Flag of  Belarus .. in the  Flags of the World series.  I will add this one to my collection.  These are a very intereting series as they have so many facts about the country and are very educational !  
 Postrd Minsk Belarus:September 28 : Arrived Sydney  01 November : Traveled 33 days.

Croatia

 Boska Voda  CROATIA.:

  Thank you so much Karmen for thinking of me on your vacation with the cards that you have sent , This card is a FOTW  ( Flags of the World ) card and will sit nicely in my collection of this series of cards . They have just so much information of the country . Thank you  hugs !
 Posted Boska Voda 22 July : Arrived :Sydnet 24 September : Traveled 63 days ! long way round .

Guam

 Guam:
  Thank you Arnold for once again thinking ofme on your travels  I know that it is for work and I appreciate you taking the time to send me these cards . This is a FOW  ( "Flag of the World " ) card  and a most welcomed Pacific Island Country to add to my collection..Thank you mate .
Posted Guam 05 July : Arrived Sydney 01 August .:Traveled  27 days..

 Guam :  Population 162,742 Inhabitants
              Area.:  540 KM 2
             Capital City : Hacitana
             Unique :  Coral Beaches and Roads : Surprisingly there are no roads on The Island of Guam. The beaches are covered in coaral instead of sand and the roads in Guam are made by mixing coral and cement 
             Duty Free Haven : All Major shopping malls are open 24 / 7 and carry most luxury            Products.
           Where the American  day begins: Guam is the first place where the sun rises on American             soil.and is about 14 hours ahead of the east Coast of the USA..
          Chamorro :  The indigenous poeples of Guam are called  the "Chamorros" and are the          oldest civiliation in the Northern Pacific.
          History :  1500 BC.The oldest  originalinhabitants of Guam and The Northern Mariana Islands are     The Chimorros .
         1898: Guam became a USA Terrotory  afterr the Spanish American war.
  

        

Palau.

 Koror : PALAU..  Caroline Islands !

 Thank you nce again Arnold for sending me another FOTW (Flag of the World ) card for my collection and a really out of the way card  and unexpected. 
 Posted Koror PALAU.: 22 April : Arrived Sydney 17 Nay : Traveled 25 days  Thank yu so much Arnold !.
 PALAU: 
AREA is :Has an are of some 459 Sq. Kilometers .

POPULATION is : 21.503 inhabitants .
CAPITAL CITY is : Ngerulmud. and is al the least most populated capital in the world.with 391 inhabitants of sovereign state.
UNIQUE :   Palau was the first Shark Sanctuary was created by Palau in 2009.and it protects about 600,00 sq. kilometers of oean .roughly the size if France
FAMOUS :  Jelly Fish Lake ,A marine lake located on El Malik Island where visitorscab swim amongst millions of jelly fish because they are harmless.
UNESCO : The Rock Island Uneco site  2012. A collection of  between 250 to 300 forrest capped limestone uprises.
HISTORY :  First Map of Palau :28 December 1696 was drawn by the Czech missionary Paul Klein given on a description by Polamons ship that was wrecked on the Phillipine coast off Samar  Island .
INDEPENDENCE : from the United States of America in 1978.

                          

Saipan

 Saipan : NORTHERN MARIANAS

 wow !!   Big surprise card  Thank you so much Arnold.  This is a card that one would find as an unusual destination.  You certainly get about Arnold I I thank you very much fr thinking of me..!
 Posted Saipan nth Marianas 01 January 2022 : Arrived Sydney 04 February : Traveled 32 days  .
Thhank you again Arnold. 

NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS  ( Saipan )
 Commonwealth of The Northern Mariana Islands :
  AREA : 464  M2
  POPULATION  55,144
  CAPITAL CITY :  Saipan.

 UNIQUE : Settlement :  The Mariana Islands were the first Islands that were settled by humans in remote Oceania and Internationally it is also the first and the longest and first of the ocean cruising Australasian peoples into remote Oceania ,and is seperate from the later polynesian settlementof the remaote Oceania 

FAMOUS :  (Ferdinand Magellan ):  The Potugese  navigator sailing under the Spanish flag  arrived in 1521  and they were the first Europeans to arrive in The Mariana Islands.

CORDINATES :for the Northern Mariana Islands are : 17.0000 N 146.0000

HISTORY : 1975-1978  The Federal law ( The Government) making The CNM! a US Territory passed in 1975. The CNMI adopted the constitution in 1977.and its first constitution ammendment took office in 1978.

Croatia

 Bask: CROATIA.:

 Thank you Karmen for  posting this surprise  card  and another for me from Croatia.  I like this series of Flags of the World cards   and have previously written up the information on this great card Thank you my dear and enjoy your visit to realatives there
.Posted Bask  Croatia :21 July :Arrived Sydney  23 August :  Traveled 30 days  Thank you Karmen . hugs.

Channel Islands (Sark )

SARK. CHANNEL iSLANDS 

Thank you so much Natalie for this Flags of the World card from Sayk..  love it that is all the Cannel Islad Islands I have now..  I appologise as tis card arrived some time ago and have not posted it on my blog. Thanks also for nice stamps too
Posted Sark : 24 June : Arrived Sydney 22 July : Traveled 28 days.
 

GREETINGS FROM SARK:
 AREA: 5.45 KM2

POPULATION : 492 INHABITANTS.

CAPITAL CITY.   NONE !

LOCATION :  THE CHANNEL ISLANDS.

UNIQUE :  The cars are banned from roads. Sark is one of the few countries in the world where cards are banned from roads, and where only tractors and horse drawn vehicles are allowed

FAMOUS  A secret European micro state. The Island has been governed by a "Crown Dependency " since 1565.
 Sark is the smallest Island independent state  in The Brirish Commonwealth.

HISTORY :  The island was probably first mentioned in the Antonine Linerary (3rd to 4th ) Century AD
IN Ancient times : Sark was occupied by the Unelli ,Gaulish tribe of The Contentin Peninsula .These peple were subdued by The Roman Empire  about 56 BC.

Dominica.

Roseau : DOMINICA.:

  A most welcome card and my first from Dominica..  Another "Flags of the Woeld"  to add to my collection  thank you so much Arnold for thinking of me on your visit there.. this a rare flag to receive.
  Posted  Rosea. March 6th 2019 :    Postmarked 28 Jnuary 2020 : Arrived Sydney18 February Traveled  1o months..  must have got lost in the Post office in Roseau. !!!  Thanks Arnold

 Greetings from DOMINICA.: Commonwealth of Dominiaca.

 AREA : Dominica covers an are of some  750 KM2.
 POPULATION :  of Dominica is 73543  inhabitantas.
CAPIYAL CITY : of Dominica is Roseau.:
 LOCATION of Dominica is  The Carribbean.
 UNIQUE to Dominica is :The Boiling Lake which is one of the worlds largest boiling Lake.
CHAMPAGNE REEF : is  a Maritime Reserve off the country's south west coast  Geothermal activity causesthousands of bubbles to emerge from beneath the rocks  a few meters from shore.
FAMOUS  "Pirates of The Carribean" and "Dead Mans End " had major film scenes shot in Dominica.
MORNE TROIS PITONS :  A tropical Rainforrest National Park with many volcanic features  and was recognised as a "World Heritage Site on April 4th 1995
 HISTORY : Independence for Dominica was realiased on November 03 1978 from the UK.
 NAME ORIGINS > The Name of the Island of Dominica was derived from the latin word Dias Dominica for Sunday, which means "Day of the Lord " This is the day on which the Island was spotted in November 1493 by Christopher Colombus.

Senegal

SENEGAL:

 A sorprise today in my mailbox..  WO   thank you you Yang Yang  Thank you so much for sending me this "Flags of the World " card for my collection also thank you for your many kind words also   and a Happy New Year for you too... Gong Xi Fa Cai...
Posted Senegal 31 December 2019  : Arrived in Sydney 31 January 2020.  Traveled 30 days   Xie Xie Yang Yang...

Madeira.

Funchal : MADEIRA :

Another great Flags of the World" card for my collection a nice swap with a good friend holidaying in Madeira Thank you so Truss for this opportunity to swap these cards.. This for me would have been a hard card to find  Thank you so much I would love to visit this Island..
Posted Funchal :06 December : Arrived Sydney 20 December : Traveled 14 days   thank you Truss..

.. I will add all the information soon   too hot now...45 degrees today..
  Greetings from Madeira..
 MADEIRA :  Covers an area of some 741 KM2.
POPULATION :of Madeira is 298.000
CAPITAL CITY : of Madeira is Funchal.
FANOUS : footballer Christiano Roaldo is from Funchal Madeira and was born on Feruary 5th 1985
BANANAS : Are a noteworth fruit on the island of Madera and is due to its quantity and quality of production.
HISTORY : SUGAR CANE is one of the agricultural species that greatest reference in the history of Madeirawhich originated "The White  Gold Age " and its quality offered the Funchal metropolis frank  economic prosperity. This meant that in the second half of the fifteenth Cenury the City of Funchal became a mandatory stop on the European trade routes.

Lithuania

Vilnius : LITHUANIA,:

This was a big surprise a long time sine I have received a "Flags of The World" for my collection and this one I do not have !! Thank you so much Mandy for your kind thoughts.
Posted Vilnius Lithuania. :01 November : Arrived Sydney 23 November : Traveled 22 days.. Thank you !

Greetings from LITHUANIA.: "Linkejimai is Lietuvos "
LITHUANIA : Covers an area of some  65,300 KM2.
POPULATION : of Lithuania is  2,853,500 inhabitants.
CAPITAL CITY : of Lithuania is Vilnius.
UNIQUE TO LITHUANIA :is that is the very centre of Europe.
UNIQUE : is The Hill of Crosses..with about 100,000 crosses it has been a site of pilgramige for centuries.
FAMOUS :SPORT : Basket ball is the most popular and very successful team sport played in
Lithuania and has been European champions three times now !
 THE SCENT OF LITHUANIA. LITHUANIA.is the only country in the world with its own official scent.
HISTORY: The first mention of Lithuania appears in the Annals of Qedlinburg.in the year 1009.
FIRST INDEPENDENCE : was in the year 16 February  1918.
INDEPENDECE RESTORED : on 11 th March 1990.

Monaco

Monaco 

 Greetings from MONACO.

Thank you for this Flags of the World card . Sorry that I cannot read the signture. Another flag card to add to my collection thank you..

MONACO : covers and are of some 2.02 KM2.

MONACO has a population of 38,400people.

CAPITAL CITY OF MONACO is Monaco. 

UNIQUE to Monaco is the amount of millionaires and billionaires.The highest per capita in the world.

POPULATION. : Monaco has 19,000 inhabitants per KM2most densley populated  country in  the  world.

 MONACO has the highest life expecrancy in the world @ 90 years.

FAMOUS : The Oceanographic Museum in Monaco built in 1910 is one of MONACOs most popular attractions

GRAND PRIX.: The Monaco Grand Prix has been held annually since 1919 in the streets of Monaco. and is reputed to be the most prestigious automobile race in the world.

HISTORY : in 1297 The House of Grinald captured the fortress protecting the Rock of Monaco and has ruled Monaco with brief interuptions since then.

INDEPENDENCE : in 1824 Independence from the French Empire 

1861 The French Monogocque Treat recognised the sovereignty of Monaco.

Botswana

BOTSWANA.:

A lovely surprise card from a good friend  Thank you so much Gaynor for this "Flags of the World" card from Botswana..A great addition to my collection..
Posted from Gaborone 21 May. Arrived Sydney  ? June. 

GREETINGSM FROM BOTSWANA.!
BOTSWANA covers an area of some 581,730 KM2.
POPULATION of Botswana is 2,250,260 inhabitants.
CAPITAL CITY of Botswana is Gaborone
UNIQUE to Botswana is the Border with Zambia which is the Zambesi River and is only 150 meters which makes it the shortest border in the world.
CURRENCY :  The Pula is the currency of Botswana. Pula literally means "rain" in Setswana because rain is very rare in Botswana.
ELEPHANTS.:  Botswana is the home of the African Elephant and  has the largest concentration of African Elephants
MINING.: Botswanas Orapa mine is the largest diamond mine in the world in terms of value and quantity of carats produced annually.
OKAVANGO DELTA. is one of the worlds largest inland deltas.
INDEPENDENCE . was aquired 30th September 1966 from the United Kingdom.
MODERN MAN.: Evidence left my modern humans such as cave paintings and are about 73,000 years old.
INHABITANTS  : Stone tools date to about 400,000 ya.

Iraq

IRAQ.:

What a great flag card to receive.. This is one for the collection!   Thank you so muck Liass K for this swap.. cant read the postage date that it was sent but was reeived 30 April ..

GREETINGS FROM REPUBLIC OF IRAQ:
IRAQ:  Covers an area of some 437,072 KM2.
POPULATION : of Iraq is 37,202,072 inhbitants.
CAPITAL CITY : of Iraq is Baghdad,
LOCATION of Iraq is in the MIddle East.
UNIQUE : to Iraq is that two (2) New Years Days are celebreated the first celebration is Muharram on the first month of the Muslim calendar. the same is also celebrated New Years Eve on December 31st on the Gregorian calendar .
FAMOUS :  The first writing system as Iraq is the first country to have a writing system and recorded history .
OIL : Iraq has the fifth largest oil reserves in the world.
HISTORY :  Mesopotamia.the region between the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers.historically known as Mesopotamia and is often referred to as the cradle of civilisation.
INDPENDENCE : 30th of October 1932 from the United Kingdom.

Senegal

SENEGAL.:!!

 Another surprise .. Thank you Yang Yang for this swap.. it has been a while and I forgot about this.!!. Another great "Flags of the World"  card for my collection thank you for this swap card
Posted  Dakar :Senegal 19 March : Arrived Sydney 16 April : Traveled 28 days.

Greetings from Senegal ...  Salutations du Senegal.

SENEGAL covrs an area of some 196,712 KM2.
POPULATION : of Senegal is 15,411,614 inhabitants.
CAPITAL CITY : of Senegal is Dakar
UNIQUE : to Senegal is that it is known for its hospitality and is given so much importance in Senegalese culture that it is widely considered to be a major part of the National identity.
SRORYTELLING : Well known for its West African traditions that is done by :griots"
FAMOUS : Lake Retba or Lac Rose which means "Pink Lake 'and is named for its pink waters which are caused by Dunaliella Salina Algae.
MONUMENT: TheWest African Renaissance Monument built in 2010 in Dakar is the tallest in Africa.
POINTE DES ALMADIES : is the westernmost point in Africa.
HISTORY :Leopold Sedar Senghor was a poet who served as the first President of Senegal and is regarded by many as the one of the most important African intellectuals of the 20th Century :
EMPIRE : The Jolof Empire or The World Empire  was a West African State that ruled parts of Senegal from 1350 to 1549.

Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia :

A flag of the world card to add to my collection. I like this series and is growing well.  This surprise card from a fellow swapper In Saint Lucia and thank you so much Mary for this nice surprise. I have written this country flag up previously on here.
Posted Saint.Lucia : 19 March : Arrived Sydney 10 April : Traveled 22 days ,,thanks Mary.

Kosovo

Prizren :KOSOVO.

Thank you Amy for organising this flag of the world for me to add to my collection..great
Posted Prizen : Kosovo:28 February : Arrived Sydney : 20 March : Traveled 20 days..
\
GREETINGS FRO KOSOVO..
KOSOVO  : Covers an area of some.: 10,908 KM2.
POPULATION : of Kosovo is 1,859,203 inhabitants.
CAPITAL CITY : of Kosovo is Pristina.
UNIQUE to Kosovo is The six stars on the flag that symbolise the six major ethnic groups of Kosovo , Albanians , Serbs , Turks ,Gorani ,Romani . and Bosniaks.
FOOD : in Kosovo is a mix of east and West.known best in the west as Maccinatas
FAMOUS in Kosovo is Ibrahim Rugova "Father of the Nation " The first president of Kosovo  1992-2006
RITA  ORA : also known as Rita Sahatciu  a world famous singer and actress
HISTORY :  Autonomous Province . Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo.with Yugoslavia between 1946 and 1989.
INDEPENDENCE : The Declaration of Independence 17th February 2008 from Serbia.

Madagascar

MADAGASCAR

Taolagnaro.: MADAGASCAR.:

 What a surprise once again.  This "Flag of the World " card from a good South African friend from visit to Madagascar... ..A great card to add to thc collection of this series of cards. Thank you so much Gaynor for thinking of me with this card.
Posted Madacascar : 29 January : Arrived Sydney : 27 February : Traveled 29 days.. Thaks again mate.!
GREETINGS FROM MADAGASCAR.: " Fiarahabana avy eto Madagasikara."

MADAGASCAR: Covers an area of some 587,041 KM2.
POPULATION :  of Madagascar is 24,894,551 inhabitants.
CAPITAL CITY : of Madagascar is Antananarivo.
LOCATION.: of Madagascar is off the East Coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
UNIQUE : To Madagascar is Sapphires and it provides half of the worlds supply.
FLORA & FAUNA : Madagascar is home to an abundance of plants and animals that are  found nowhere else in the world
 HERBS :Madagascar is the Worlds principal supplier of  Vanilla , Cloves , and Yiang Yiang .
 FAMOUS " The Ring Tailed Lemur is one of 100 known species and subspecies of Lemur found only here , characterised as Madagacars flagship mammal species .
HISTORY : The written history began with the arabs who established trading posts along the northwest coast by at least the 10th century and introduced Islam and the Arabic script and other elements.
INDEPENDENCE : was declared on the 26th June 1960 from France.

New Guinea

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Port Morseby " NEW GUINEA.:

What a great surprise card from my friend in Canada Marie... Wow.. Marie !!  This is a great ":Flag of the World" card for my collection   a really hard flag to oblain.Thank you  so much for doing this for me.. I love it..This card is from Papua and New Guinea.: The Independent State of New Guinea.
Posted : Port Morseby 12 February : Arrived Sydney: 27 February : Traveled 15 days: Thank you Marie.
GREETINGS FROM PAPUA AND NEW GUINEA. Known as P.N.G.
NEW GUINEA ; Has an area of some 462,840 KM2.
POPULATION ; of New Guinea is 8,084,999 inhabitants.
CAPITAL CITY : of PNG is Port Morseby.
LOCATION : of PNG is North of Australia in the Arafura Sea.
NATIONAL EMBLEM : of PNG is the Bird of Paradise.
UNIQUE : to PNG is the Cultural Diversity : PNG is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world with over 852 known languages spoken.
MONEY : Sea shells were used aa a currency until they were abolished in 1933.
CELEBRATIONS.:Renowned for its many ceremonial occasions where hundreds of pigs and other valuables are distributed to guests
ANIMALS : Tree Kangaroos ( like in Australia)ae marsupials og the (genus dendrologus ) that inhabit train forrest regions.
HISTORY : Independece was acheived on 16th September 1975 from Australia.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.:Archaeological evidence indicates that humans first arrived in Papua and New Guinea approximately 42-45 thousand years ago and were decendents of immigrants from Africa.

Uruguay

URUGUAY :

Thank you once again Rosmarie for obtaining this card for me .. I would not have been able to get it otherwuise ..it arrived this morning after a trip of 57 days... Thank you so much.
Posted Uruguay 04 Decemebr 2018 : Arrived Sydney : 30 January 2019.: Traveled 57 days.

GREETINGS from URUGUAY.:
URUGUAY : covers and area of some 176,215 KM2.
POPULATION  of Uruguay is 3,444,006 inhabitants.
CAPITAL CITY : of Uruguay is Montevideo.
LOCATION : of Uruguay  is in southern South America.
UNIQUE : to Uruguay is that cattle,  over 12 million out number the population 4-1.
HOLIDAYS : Uruguay renamed many of its Catholic Holidays , Christmas Day is called Family Day and Holy Week is called Tourism Week.!!
FAMOUS :  "Outside the tropics"  as Uruguay is the only country in South America that is completely outside of the tropics.
LITERACY : Uruguay has one of the highest literacy rates in the world.with 98.1% for adults and is thanks to the Urugauayans access to free and compulsory education.
HISTORY.:  Name Origin :The name of Uruguay originates from The Uruguay River which means "River of the Painted Birds". in Guarani lnguage.
 EDUCATION : Uruguay was the first country in the world to give every student free computer and WI FI access in 2009.